注維摩詰經 2.101

2.101

[Kumāra]jīva says: Formerly, a lowly person entered a city and saw a man elegantly attired, riding a great horse, and holding a jeweled canopy; he called out, 'Not good!'—doing so two or three times. The man wondered at this and asked: 'I am so adorned and splendid; why do you say it is not good?' The lowly person replied: 'Sir, in past lives you cultivated the roots of virtue and attained this retribution. Your authority and virtue clothe you, and people look up to you. In the past I did not plant merit, so I am this base and wretched. Comparing myself to you is like comparing beasts to a human; thus I was speaking of my own lack of goodness, not disparaging you.' Because of this, the lowly person was spurred to action and broadly cultivated meritorious karma. If bodily eminence can awaken beings and bring such vast benefit, how much more so transforming people through the Dharma of the Way! [Seng]zhao says: Because their power of merit is weak and shallow, they are born as commoners.